Teacher You Can Count On - Amy Smith

Teaching reading, writing and arithmetic is important to Amy Smith, a third grade teacher at Westward Elementary in Slaton. But beyond those core subjects Smith puts tremendous effort into teaching her students the benefits of saying please and thank you.

It is possibly one of the most important lessons she will ever share with her students - the value of treating others with respect, but most importantly recognizing it's something you deserve in return.

"They're a reflection of me good and bad. You know if they act up it's a reflection on me," says Smith.

Judging by the students in Smith's classroom, those reflections are almost always positive. But Smith isn't just known for her emphasis on manners, it's the time she spends with students outside of the classroom that makes the biggest impact.